Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1887-08-24
A FRIGHTFCL FALL.

.Rszgas AAA@ n
Alfred Kreixer Meets BIS Dossh by
Being P~recipftated Down IN Embsnk-
ment-The Testimony Of Witnesses
and Verdict Of tho Coroner's Jury.
At 6 o'clock yesterday morning John
McComb, a miner, on his way to work ON
the hill, discovered in the cut for the rail-
road just north OF the Clear Grit nine the
body of q man, while q few feet distant laid
a horse with saddle and bride. Mr.. Nc
Comb called for assistance. and Anton
Sariet responding. he dispatched him to the
city to notify the authorities and sum-
mon q physician to the aid of the pros-
trate man, whom, he discovered, was still
alive. When first seen he was
LYING ON HIS FACE,
his head resting on the outer rail. Police
men Murray and Young and DR.. H. A..
Amsden were SOC on the ground, and in.
vestigation showed that the man had SUI
fered a fracture of both legs, the left knee
joint was shattered and his skull was
crushed. DR.. Amsden at once pronounced
the injuries fatal. A stretcher was impro.
vised and the man conveyed to the Sisters
Hospital, where he expired without having
regained consciousness, at 8 p. NJ. From
papers discovered on bis pers.Dn it wal as
certained that the lame OF the man wal
Alfred Kreizer, and that he was foreman
for William Lorenz at his line quarries
near Divide, he having been in the employ
OF Mr.. Lorenz Tor over two years. At z
o'clock last evening Coroner Amsden held
an inquest on the body and the following
testimony was adduced:
H. KRE1zRR,
the father OF the deceased was first ex-
amined. He stated that he recognized the
dead body as that Of bis son, Alfred
Kreizer. That he was in the employ OF
Mr.. Lorenz. and that be made occasional
trips to WalkervilIe. The witness stated
further that his son was of temperate
habits, and that while he occasionally
INDUCED in intOxicants he was not of q
dissipated nature and did not permit any /
indulgences to interfere with a discharge of
his duties. |
CAPTAIN L. F. wYMAN
was the next witness. He was familiar |
with the road and bridges at the spot
where the accident had occurred and de. |
scribed to the jury the present and former
high ways. The old road leads directly to-
ward the foot bridge or to a point between
that and the wagon bridge, and persons
unacquainted with the locality, or in the
dark would be as likely to 20 over the
precipice as to get on to the bridge Cross.
ing the cut. The old road is the more
direct and strangers would be more likely
to take it than the new one which makes
something OF a detour. The necessary
precaution OF guarding against accidents
does not seem to nave been taken by
either the county or the railroad COM
pany. Some one should be chargeable for
the deplorable happening.
OFFICER FRANK MURRAY
next testified. He stated that he was
called to see the deceased at six O'Clock
yesterday morning, but that prior to his
arrival the body had been removed from
the position in which it wal discovered.
The horse was cold and stiff and from that
he inferred that the. accident must have
occurred early the previous evening. He
coincided with Captain Wyman regarding
the dangerous character of the roadway
in the vicinity OF the bridge, thought it ex-
tremely perilous Tor pedestrians after
nightfall and that it should be fenced to
prevent q recurrence of like accidents.
OFFICER J. P. YOUNG
OF the discovery Of Kreizer. He
once proceeded to the scene and found
the deceased supported by those who had
gathered. A pool OF blood was discernible
on the rail where the head Of the dead man
had lain. The body Of the horse was
swollen and distended 80 that the saddle
was removed intact with great difficulty.
He had regarded the road as dangerous,
since the excavation for the cut had been
made. There was nothing to prevent any.
one going over the embankment. Neither |
the wagon or foot bridge were protected
by wings.
JOE M'CoMB
how he had discovered deceased
On his way from Butte to his work.
He examined the pockets of Kreizer, and
took from one his pass book. He assisted
n his removal to the hospital, and after
ward came to the Office OF The MINER to .
give publicity to his knowledge of the al
air, but on learning he was too late for it's
yesterday, he began a search
or relatives OF the deceased, and notified
Mr.. Kreizer's father, brother and sister,
md other relatives, and aleo his employer.
Mr.. McComb had. made careful e1amina-
ion OF the road, and saw where the de-
had fallen over the e~mbankment.
he was familiar with the road. There was Il.
10 protection for any traveller who might {
the road leading to the bridge. 4
8. DRYDEN, y
he last witness, was perfectly familiar with
he road where the accident happened. He |
agreed with the other witnesses as to it's dan {
,erous character, and considered the rail-
way company had left the road in the vi
OF the bridge in an exceedingly dan ;
yerous condition. He had seen days SO
oggy hat travel in the vicinity was at .
tended with great dangers. At the conclu. .
lion OF the testimony the case was lett !,
With the jury, who, after a half hours de- .
Iteration. returned the following:
THE VERDICT.
Territory OF Montana. County of Silver .
Bow, SIS. An inquisition holden at St. i
James Home, Butte, Montana, in the
OF Silver Bow, on the twenty
day OF August, 1887, before me, H. ,
\. Amsden, Coroner OF said county, upon !
he body of Alfred Kreizer, there lying I
lead, by the jurors whose names are (
.lereunto subscribed. the said Jurors upon 8
heir oaths do say that deceased came to
ls death by riding over in the dark an 4
.mbankDent bordering q cut on the Mon.
ana Union Railway, between Butte and b
,enterville, by neglect of the company not '
laving the cut properly fenced. 8
p j. LYNCH, v
JOHN McCLosKY, q
JAMES T. LEvENs, g
JOHN P. GRATz, b
NJ. O'BRIEN, "a
JOHN w. SToRER.
THE DECEASED
vas born in Wisconsin in February, 1861
nd was in the 32d year OF his age. He O
ane to Montana in 1874 and since that a